


Welcome Home

by BlueDysania



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Choose Your Own Adventure, Choose Your Own Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Horror, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Death, Tags to be added, possible major character death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-08 12:54:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20835794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueDysania/pseuds/BlueDysania
Summary: W.D. Gaster is found dead in his bed, his dust collected, and will brought to his sons. As his living relatives, they are the only ones permitted to enter his mansion atop Mt. Ebott as his personal laboratory resides in the residence. They are requested by their late father to return to the mansion and take what they wish; and to dispose of his research should he have died without doing so himself.Papyrus insists they follow their father's last wishes and against Sans' better judgement they go. They don't go alone however and their datemates and their datemates' brothers, accompany them.It will be fine. It's just an empty mansion. An overnight trip... no problem at all.This is a Choose Your Own Adventure game fic for October! Rules in the notes!





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to the game fic! Welcome Home is a mystery/suspense/horror fic that will be written depending on your votes at the end of each chapter! the first chapter is a prologue and requires no vote, but the following chapters will have at least one, maybe more.

The room is small… or at least it seems that way. The ceiling has a circular window and the night sky full of stars illuminates a desk overflowing with books and paper and inkwells and quills. The walls of the room can’t be seen though the light clearly reveals the skeleton sitting at the desk.

Adorned in a warm looking dark blue coat buttoned over a black undershirt, you can’t see his face. He is hunched over a book though there only seems to be one page in it’s bindings. And you hear the sound of scratching, a pen or pencil though the skeleton’s hands are folded into his sleeves and resting just in front of the book. In fact, you can hear the sound of writing all around you, the tapping sound of what sounds suspiciously like keyboards being used. It’s strangely faint for how encompassing the sound is.

You make a noise and the skeleton lifts his head.

Two bright white eyelights peer up at you with a squint and you think he looks a lot like another skeleton you know. Sans the Skeleton. Except Sans doesn’t have what looks like lines and lines and lines of script running through his eyelights. You can make out that there are words but what those words say are too small and quick to be read, nor does he have the height that this skeleton has when he stands with a quiet yawn. Not so tall as a Papyrus mind, but certainly taller than most Sanses you know or read of.

They walk around the table and effortlessly glide around the books covering the floor in towers. The coat reaches their feet revealing… bright green, fluffy slippers. Well… that seems a little more in character. Your musings on this Sans are broken when he leans down and squints at you again.

You question why he keeps looking at you like that.

The Sans doesn’t stop squinting but he does straighten, tilting his head this way and that as he studies you, “you are more than you.”

You don’t understand.

The Sans blinks his gaze back to normal and looks to the side, “although… is that time already?” He turns, striding into the darkness and you hear shuffling about. A bright object shining with brilliant golden light seems to erupt from the darkness and illuminates the Sans looking at a calendar of sorts. It looks like a Save Star! And the calendar… can’t seem to decide the right month or year, yet the Sans made a satisfied noise and the Save Star was tucked back into his coat.

He came back out of the darkness and sat down at his desk once more, beckoning you forward.

You slowly approach.

“it is the last day of September… which means you must be here for the game.” He tapped his finger against the book he’d been looking at. All of one page. No… now there were two. “that explains why you are more than you.” He leans back and seems to patiently wait for you to say something back.

So, you ask who he is.

“well, i’m Sans obviously.” His eyelights twinkle mischievously at whatever look appears on your face he laughs and says, “a Sans, of course. Warden is what you may call me.” And seems content to say nothing else on the matter.

You change gears and ask where you are.

“hmm… not nearly enough time to explain what me and Doc still don’t fully understand…” He sounds dispirited but the smile doesn’t waver as he continues, “this is where the stories are. every ending… every beginning… every branching choice… each of them a story written to its bitter end. they are here on these endless shelves.”

You see no shelves but the writing and tapping suddenly seem much _more_ than before.

“but no matter. you aren’t here for them. you’re here for the game!” Out of the blue he swipes out his arms and knocks everything but the open book to the floor. You both watch writing scrawl across the page swiftly and though it is intelligible to your eyes, Warden grins, “oh, very nice… alrighty then.”

He looks up to you and you feel something bump at your knees. It’s a seat and even though it seems to have come from nowhere you don’t question it. Nothing is as it seems here. Wherever here is.

“so… let’s begin, shall we?” Warden murmurs, making a motion to the page now filled with script and it turns with a quiet flutter of noise.

* * *

Love.

The most enigmatic and explored ideal in the world.

So much of what is done and said is in the name of love. The love of objects or ideas, or people. There is no more vicious a motivator or powerful source of will.

Love is sacrifice and a gift.

Tragedy and blessing.

This story is about love.

The love of each character in relation to others, to their morals, and their dreams.

But it’s not just their love that will spin this story.

Now, there is _you_.

Your choices will shape how this story ends.

One character or another. What is their fate? The love you hold for one will tip the scales in their favor.

… But you are more than _you_. There are others and their love may not be on the same side as yours. And even if they do, their love may be a love of chaos, of uncertainty. There are those who enjoy the sadness of a loved character. There are those that will do all they can to save one above all the others.

This is more than a story. This is a game.

And everything depends on **love**.

"heh… however this ends, it will be interesting to watch." And the page turns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for participation for the votes there will be a link to a strawpoll, here's an example:
> 
> Chapter 1 and first decision will look like this -> [1.A] (link to strawpoll)  
Chapter 1 and second decision -> [1.B]
> 
> Chapter 2 appears like this [2.A]


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It begins...

“_Let me begin by expressing my condolences._”

The rumbling vibrations of the car travelled through Sans’ bones. His sockets remained closed, skull cushioned in Red’s shoulder. The occupants of the car had spent the trip in relative silence, allowing him to keep the pretense that he was sleeping the trip away.

“_Your father was a brilliant monster. Many mourn with you for your loss. Sans Serif, Papyrus Serif, you were both called here as a request in W.D. Gaster’s will. It was revised recently and several correspondences with medical professionals have revealed he knew his time was coming. He leaves to you his fortune, all his properties including the residence up in Mount Ebott, as well as all his worldly possessions._”

A thumb was gently rubbing circles into his hip, soothing him each time he tensed up. He would have loved to have been asleep but his mind was too agitated to allow it.

“_The only thing he requests of you in return, is to go to his property up on Mount Ebott and if he fails to terminate any of his projects before he goes, that you do so in his stead. He does not mean to be cruel or unfair, and hopes you understand why he is requesting this of you in order to inherit all he has to give._”

Sans sighed, not for the first time since they’d begun driving, and Red tugged him closer. He felt drained and no small amount of upset. After the reading of their father’s will, Sans had been ready to refuse on the spot. Before he could let logic set in.

Papyrus had put his foot down however, “IT IS OUR FATHER’S LAST WISH! IT WOULD BE SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE TO DENY HIM HIS DYING WISH!”

Sand had mumbled something about him already being dead so what did it matter but the determination shining in his little brother’s eyelights had ended the argument. Besides, Sans knew deep down that he had no choice. If his father’s experiments were still there… he had to end them.

So, they’d packed for an overnight trip. If it couldn’t be resolved in one night, they’d come back at a later date was the compromise. Time off was a tricky process on the Surface.

Telling their datemates about the trip had got them packing as well. Red had announced he was coming along shortly after Sans spilled the beans about where he was going. Of course, since Red and Blue were coming so were their brothers. In the span of a few hours, it was a road trip up to Mount Ebott.

Edge, Red and Sans were in one car, the other three in Stretch’s pick-up. It must have been a couple of hours they were on the road but Sans didn’t bother checking. He was content to pretend the outside world didn’t exist.

“We need to pull into town here.” Edge said as if on cue, breaking the silence for the first time since they’d set out.

“wha’s up?” Red murmured, leaning forward slightly.

“GPS started acting up the moment we hit the base of the mountain and using the map to find a private residence on a private road up there in the trees is not something I want to attempt.”

“a’right.” A nudge against his cheek prompted Sans to open his sockets, “hear all that?”

“yeah. it’s a good idea.” Sans sat up slowly, working the kinks from his neck, “it’s a maze up there. barely remember this place but i remember that.”

RED

Early afternoon night splits through the trees, dappling everything with light. The town that sat at the base of the mountain and its thick forest was small with cabins scattered about, a few stories, and an old wooden diner. Edge pulled into the parking lot and Stretch pulled in next to him. The shiny vehicles looked wildly out of place against the worn and well-used ones sitting in the parking lot.

It took only a minute or two to get from the cars and into the diner but it was enough for Red to be grateful for the warm interior. Sans split off and headed for a booth almost immediately and Red followed. He took the seat beside him, studying the smaller skeleton as he slung an arm over his shoulders.

They watched Papyrus and Blue study the menu board with all the intent of home-chefs, muttering to each other absorbed in whatever they were criticizing this time. Red could hear Edge up front at the counter just barely, asking about directions to the Gaster mansion. Stretch ambled by, lighting up in the smoking approved diner. Red grinned at the lanky skeleton and got a middle finger salute. Papyrus and Blue must have driven him crazy the whole drive up.

A deep sigh brought his attention back to Sans. The moment he’d seen the heavy, dark scores under Sans’ sockets, Red knew he couldn’t let him come up here alone. He’d never seen Sans this upset. And not matter how he tried to hide it; Sans was clearly upset about this trip.

Sans never spoke about his childhood home and Red didn’t push after the first time his datemate had shut down from a well-meant interrogation back when they first started dating. Red rubbed Sans shoulder and was satisfied to have Sans slump back against him. The longer he dwelt on this, the more ragged Sans looked.

Red considered to himself…

(**Ask Sans What’s Bugging Him?**) or (**Cheer Sans Up by Distraction**)

BLUE

Papyrus was troubled by something.

Blue thought he was rather good at reading his datemate after all this time. Papyrus was inherently happy most of the time and it took some skill to see through the force of optimism to the deeper emotions running beneath it. A wealth of emotions that Papyrus sometimes struggled to show.

Papyrus hadn’t been able to keep his hands still the entire car ride, nor had he been able to stop remarking on every little thing. Jumping on any conversation to fill the silence, even reading off the entire menu board, was just another clue. Contrary to popular belief, Papyrus was capable of being quiet. They’d spent many afternoons together, cooking in silence or doing puzzles with minimal conversation and enjoying every minute of it.

Ever since the death of their father however, both Serif brothers were acting very out of character. Papyrus didn’t show it as obviously but Blue could see it. It was very unnerving to see Papyrus so disturbed by something and not confide in him. Blue hoped that Papyrus would say something by now but maybe he had no other choice but to ask…

(**Ask Papyrus What’s Wrong?**) or (**Keep Silent**)

STRETCH

Stretch inhaled the nicotine, relieved. It had been a very, very, very long drive. For some reason, Papyrus had been particularly chatty today and while Stretch was used to his brother’s exuberant personality it had been a little much with two of them in an enclosed space. He glanced toward his brother’s datemate and happened to spy a police cruiser pull up through the window. He returned his attention to Edge and the lady behind the counter, both mumbling over the map of the mountain roads.

She pulled out a highlighter and ran it all the way through a series of twists and turns until it reached a point of no clear significance, “And that’s the Gaster residence. Make sure you get up there before dark, okay? Some of the roads up there are on cliffsides… and there’s no lights up there. It’s dangerous even for me and I’ve lived here all my life.” She looked at them both pointedly, a shade of honest worry in her face, “People have died on those roads at night.”

Edge nodded, folding the map and responded in a similarly grim tone, “I HAVE NO INTENTION OF DRIVING ANYWHERE IN THE DARK.”

Stretch nodded in agreement when Edge looked his way, a silent message given and received. He had no intentions either. To the lady, he smiled, “Thanks darlin’. We’ll be safe.”

She smiled, clearly pleased her warnings were taken to heart but whatever she might have said in response was lost in the drunken snarl of a man sitting on a barstool just few seats away.

“Fuckin’ monsters… can’ even le’ve little towns like uz in peace.”

Stretch casually pushed off the counter as Edge straightened, taking a step to stand between him and the drunkard. Who turned, brandishing his beer bottle, pointing at them furiously. His voice raised as he continued to yell, “Nothin’ been righ’ since you ‘onsters came! Takin’ ‘r money… homez… ‘s all yer fuckin’ fault! You should all just fuckin’ dust!”

The diner had gone quiet, allowing the sound of the entrance door to be heard squeaking open and shut. Everyone’s eyes were on them now, watching and waiting.

Stretch stiffened as the drunk human stumbled to his feet, still brandishing his beer bottle. The last thing needed was an altercation. Now wasn’t the time, especially considering their purpose for this trip. Stretch went to take a step forward when Edge placed a hand on his arm, the look in his vivid eyelights hyper focused on the drunk. As a private detective and former Guardsmen, Edge no doubt had experience with this sort of thing.

Stretch looked back at the drunk…

(**Take Care of This Himself**) or (**Let Edge Take Care of It**)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Voting is Closed. Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the first time I've ever tried something like this fic, so i'm trying to find a rhythm for it. this is a chapter without votes, more of a 'this is the result' chapter. depending on how this goes, this may be how it works or this may be a one-time thing. thank you for participating~!
> 
> new chapter should be up soon! :3

_Cheer Sans Up by Distraction_

It probably wasn’t the best time to try and pry any answers out of Sans’ head. Instead Red slouched back into the vinyl and rubbed the junction between Sans’ vertebrae and skull with the tip of his fingers. A slow shudder came from the action, as expected.

“yer know what ‘m thinking.”

There was no answer and the bones under his hand tried to tense. Red kept up his motions, encouraging Sans to relax.

“’m thinking when this is over, we get outta dodge fer a while.” It wasn’t a new idea, a half-baked plan and a daydream for the quiet times when something had gotten under their figurative skin. Something to hope for.

If there was ever a time to make it a reality, it was now. Sans looked like he was descending through the various levels of hell ever since he got the call that his father had finally kicked the bucket. Red had zero fucks to give about that tragedy. Obviously, the guy hadn’t been the best parental unit. Fuck him, the trauma that Sans displayed back then and now was more than enough proof that something had been fucked up.

He’d listen when Sans was ready but until then…

“how’s that sound? pack a few bags, can rent an RV or somethin’, and hit the road for a few weeks…”

Sans turned his head and Red met his tired gaze without blinking.

“i have work.”

Red hummed. Not untrue but he was a pretty convincing guy. “leave that ta me. _you_ just gotta think of where ya want to go.”

He expected Sans to argue the point, say that he didn’t need charity or Red scaring the wits out of his employers. Instead Sans rested back against Red, sinking into the slight massage on his neck, “sounds like a plan.”

Well, that had been a hell of a lot easier than he’d expected, “yeah, sweetheart… sure does.” He murmured.

The peace of the moment shattered as slurred shouting erupted from the front of the diner.

_Ask Papyrus What’s Wrong_

“PAPYRUS?” Blue said, laying a hand on the taller’s arm and cutting off the words that hadn’t ceased since they’d left Snowdin.

Papyrus whirled around at the touch, smiling widely, “WHAT IS IT?”

Blue was not usually a hesitant monster. This also was not a usual situation. He tugged on Papyrus’ arm until they were against the wall, out of the way of other customers. “I WILL BE BLUNT. THERE IS SOMETHING TROUBLING YOU AND I WANT TO KNOW SO I MAY ASSIST YOU HOWEVER I CAN.”

“WELL, YOU ARE NOT WRONG.” Came the answer. “BUT IT REALLY IS NOTHING FOR YOU TO WORRY ABOUT.”

He crossed his arms, giving his datemate a very unimpressed look. He didn’t falter in his bland stare and even when Papyrus began to fidget and change the subject, Blue silently kept his efforts up. Finally, after the fifth failed attempt to coax Blue to speak, Papyrus all but deflated in front of him.

“YOU MEET ALL OF MY STANDARDS…” He murmured, smiling with an exhaustion that had been hiding in the corners of Papyrus’ sockets the whole time. “I THOUGHT TO KEEP IT TO MYSELF SINCE IT IS MY FAULT TO BEGIN WITH.”

Blue wanted to comfort but knew that the slightest capitulation on his part would be taken advantage of. They’d both had very good teachers, and gotten lots of experience, in that regard, “TELL ME, PLEASE!”

Papyrus glanced around the diner and Blue followed his gaze until it landed on Sans and Red, tucked away in a corner booth. They looked pretty calm, although Blue felt a swell of worry for the ragged look of a normally happy skeleton.

“Sans didn’t want to come.” Papyrus said quietly, watching his brother turn his head to Red. He looked a little hopeful but maybe Blue was reading too much into it. “Sans never wanted anything to do with our father. And he never told me why. Only that he wasn’t a very good person… and despite that, that he loved us.” Papyrus rubbed at his sockets, smile gone, “Sans should be at home. Lazing about and not doing normal hygienic routines and eating greasy not nutritional food. He’s not. And he’s not happy because of me.”

Blue frowned, “HOW… How is this your fault? He chose to come with us.”

“Because of me.” Papyrus repeated. “He came along because I insisted that we do this. Because… because…” Papyrus’ hands shook as they rubbed harder at his sockets.

Blue quickly grabbed his wrists, pulling his hands away. Just as quickly he pressed his fingers to the orange-tinted bone surrounding the irritated sockets, “Don’t you hurt yourself…” He murmured, still seeing tremors. “Take a deep breath.”

A long inhale, a slow exhale. “This is not at all useful. We do not need to breath.” Papyrus said breathlessly and did another. Nonetheless, the shaking stopped. “I was too afraid to go alone. Always curious and always afraid of a monster I can’t even remember. It is very frustrating.”

This wasn’t making sense. Blue was quiet as he listened, but his mind was taking to the beginning of a puzzle. Papyrus, and Sans, had left home as young adults. Sans just old enough to start working and Papyrus… well, that had never been entirely clear. Papyrus was younger than Sans by six years but it didn’t make sense how a monster as young as Sans had been allowed to ‘raise’ another monster still in stripes.

And this… wasn’t the first time Papyrus mentioned a lack of memory when it came to his childhood home.

Blue thought to ask more when shouting erupted from behind them. The entrance door swung open, forcing them to step to the side. A police officer stepped in, their keen eyes locking onto the drunk that had stumbled to their feet; as well as Edge and Stretch.

_Let Edge Take Care of It_

Stretch obliged Edge, stepping back and taking a seat on one of the swivel chairs. It _was_ probably for the best. Besides, he thought taking a drag and releasing it with a small smile, watching his fiancée work was better than honey.

Edge stood at his full height, crossed arms and feet planted firmly, using it to loom over the human with a firm frown. Stretch was taller but Edge always had this extra (heh) edge that made it far more intimidating than he could ever manage.

“WOULD YOU CARE TO REPEAT THAT.” Edge stated. His tone, his stance booked no room for argument. “ARE YOU THREATENING THE MONSTERS IN THIS ESTABLISHMENT?”

Stretch noticed for the first time that there were other monsters here. They had ducked their heads, apparently used to fielding racist remarks… or maybe just this drunk’s in particular. He winked at a small avian monster peeking over their seat. They blinked unsurely back.

The drunkard glared, snarling incoherently as he wavered in place. The bottle lowered to waist-level however.

Edge pressed on, “UNLESS YOU PLAN ON COMMITTING MURDER IN FRONT OF A DOZEN WITNESSES AND SECURITY CAMERAS… I SUGGEST YOU BE ON YOUR WAY.”

The officer who had entered the diner was watching intently and Stretch was relieved to see that the drunk tossed the bottle carelessly on the counter, muttering under his breath as he passed them by. The way he skirted around Edge was obvious however.

The moment the guy left, a liveliness returned to the diner. Stretch pushed off his seat, wrapping himself around one of Edge’s shoulders, “My hero.” He drawled.

Edge merely plucked his cigarette out and gave him a ghost of a smile. Then nodded to the police officer who was approaching.

“Everything all right here, sir? Ma’am?” He looked to the woman behind the counter as well and as she hurried to assure him everything was fine, Edge nodded toward the others.

“LET’S NOT TEMPT FATE. I'LL WRAP THIS UP. GATHER THE OTHERS, WE SHOULD HEAD OUT BEFORE IT GETS DARK.”

“Got it, babe.”

Edge turned to the officer and began to explain the situation, intimately familiar with dealing with authorities. Stretch gave his elbow a comforting squeeze and moved to wave the others over. It was time to go.

After everyone was satisfied by Edge and Stretch’s explanation for the commotion, they all piled back into the cars. The rest of the drive was spent quietly. Edge completely focused on the road with Red directing him, map in hand. The sun was beginning to set as Edge broke out of the trees and into a lush clearing. It was almost idyllic but for the massive mansion that sat at the end of the gravel road. It was shadowed in the shades of the trees and its own size, seeming more ominous than it rightly should be.

They parked the cars in the long driveway and everyone got out, looking up at the mansion. Four pairs of eyes were studying it, awe and doubt varying.

For the Serif brothers, they looked up at their past and shuddered at the sight of it.

Sans was the last to enter, trailing behind. It wasn’t the bags weighing him down. His searching gaze stopped at the far window of the west wing, two stories up; covered in ivy and dust. He felt a chill up his spine and shuddered into his sweatshirt. It was as though it was looking back.

* * *

Sans [**LV 1**]

**HP**: 1/1  
**Mood**: Exhausted  
**Afflictions**: None

Papyrus [**LV 1**]

**HP**: 80/80  
**Mood**: Conflicted  
**Afflictions**: None

Blue [**LV 1**]

**HP**: 30/30  
**Mood**: Alert  
**Afflictions**: None

Stretch [**LV 1**]

**HP**: 20/20  
**Mood**: Normal  
**Afflictions**: None

Red [**LV 9**]

**HP**: 15/15  
**Mood**: Normal  
**Afflictions**: None

Edge [**LV 17**]

**HP**: 120/120  
**Mood**: Alert  
**Afflictions**: None

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another test, i'm putting up the status of each character at the end of the chapters to help you remember how they're doing. again, this may be a temporary addition, maybe not.
> 
> reviews inspire~!

**Author's Note:**

> each chapter will have two days time for votes to be cast! hopefully this all works out and everyone has fun!  
if there are any questions please let me know below! rules may be updated depending!


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